The Homecoming festivities continued Wednesday, Oct. 9, with Omicron Delta Kappa's Rosen-Hutsell Cake Race.
The Cake Race, which students, faculty, and community members are encouraged to support, and participate in, celebrated its 85th anniversary today.
"The Race started back in 1928 as a way for then track coaches to find talent on campus for the track team. They teamed up with ODK to encourage people to run and offered cakes for the top finishers," said Harrison Hall, a Co-director of the Cake Race.
Named after Wilbur Hutsell, former Auburn track coach, and Mel Rosen, Auburn track coach for 28 years, the Cake Race began on the Green Space and participants ran clockwise around the campus.
Rosen was in good company today as the race, named after him, attracted quite the student turnout. Trying to catch their breath and get in the shaded tent area, the tents overflowed with people.
"The turnout today was actually really good," Hall said. "We try to get a lot of publicity out in the student center and through different news organizations so we're pleased with how many people turned out today."
Hall was not the only one who noticed the turnout at the 85th Cake race.
"There are usually about 100 runners, so it was a good day," said Walter Whatley, president of the Omicron Delta Kappa leadership society.
There was a total of 125 runners at the event.
Carrying on the tradition, the first 20 men and 20 women to cross the finish line received a cake of their choice. However, there was more incentive to the race this year as the male winner was awarded a kiss from this year's Miss Auburn, Tara Jones, and the female winner awarded a kiss from SGA President, Harrison Mills.
Finishing around the ten-minute mark were two members of the Auburn triathlon club team.
Taking first for the men was Robert Bedsole, graduate in mechanical engineering, while German exchange student, Sarah Ziem, studying polymer and fiber engineering, dashed across the line to claim first in the women's category.
"It was fun, the start was pretty crazy," Betsel said. "This is the biggest turn out I've seen for a Cake Race."
Ziem, who is only here for three weeks, was quite modest about her top finish.
"It was my first time running this so I just followed the other guys," Ziem said.
Today's runners got their cakes and ate them too.
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